At this time of year, we are usually being treated to half-frozen pitched, being slowly trampled into quagmires of mud once committed junior rugby boots take to the field. However, with the weather proving to be kinder than it has in many a year, the U12s of H&B were able to use the lower field to mark out a large pitch for our guests, the usually-tenacious Uckfield U12s. Boasting a couple of large, aggressive forwards, and a backline containing some very talented ball-carriers, it's always a tough prospect for our lads to face. However, bouyed by some recent sparkling form in training, and the emergence of several speed-merchants in the backs, with tall, mobile forwards giving muscle in the forwards, H&B were confident on delivering an upset.

In the first match, H&B received the ball and tried to run it back uphill toward the Uckfield line. However, the visitors, showing some excellent control in rucks and mauls, were able to recycle and feed it to their backs, who made good use of space to show some speed. Good tackling from wing Stuart Chisholm stopped an immediate try, but it wasn't long before Uckfield added one, then two tries through good use of space, and committed running to break the line. Going into the second half, H&B found better work in both the scrums and line-outs, but continued to suffer from the organised pressure Uckfield used to stop the faster Hastings backs from getting space to run. a further try from Uckfield rounded off the first match 3 - 0 to the visitors.

In a second game, H&B lent two players to Uckfield so that a full 15 could be fielded by adding in flankers to the scrum. Debutante wing-forwards Ben Green and Lockie MacDonald added some extra power to the scrum, and also proved effective in keeping Uckfield from running quick ball across the line.

True to form, H&B appeared to wake-up following a poor first match and took an early lead when prop Chandler Buckingham broke through a usually-strong Uckfield defence after some close work throughout the forwards to score. Centre James McGrath made some good ground, fly-half Ronnie Doorey-Palmer played a good kicking game, and there were some great tackles from winger Gabriel Balde and centre George Howard-Smith. At the stroke of half time, defending a penalty on their own line, H&B surrendered the lead when Uckfield grounded the ball on the second attempt to score. In the second half, H&B once again let the game slip away as the Uckfield prop charged through to score, before the visiting winger sealed the game at the last for a 3 - 1 victory.

H&B can take a lot of positives from the match, but will have to work on passing, positioning, rucking and tackling to stop teams such as Uckfield, and to release the firepower in the backline to start winning games again. Man of the match went to Chandler Buckingham; for his all-round effort, and try-scoring break. Special thanks to George Howard-Smith and Ashley Hills for swapping shirts to play for the opposition in the second game

Team was:

1. Chandler Buckingham
2. Max Holmes
3. Jack Reed
4. Owain Lusted
5. Harry Samra
6. Ben Green / (George Howard-Smith for Uckfield)
7. Lockie Macdonald / (Ashley Hills for Uckfield)
8. Tommy Russell
9. Tom Hirst
10. Ronnie Doorey-Palmer
11. CJ Johnson
12. George Howard Smith
13. James McGrath
14. Stuart Chisholm
15. Gabriel Balde